Clutch mechanism



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' T. GRISWOLD,J1`. l Y oLUTGHM-BCHANISM. N0. 491,169. Patented.- P'eb. 7,1893,

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UNITED STATES THOMAS GRISWOLD, JR., OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

PATENT OFFICE.

CLUTCH MECHANISNI.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 491,169, dated February "i, 1893.

Application filed May Z1, 1892. Serial No. 433,918. (No model.)

To @ZL whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, THOMAS GRIswoLD, J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and \useful Improvement in Clutch Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of improvements in the mechanisms specified wherein a hollow, or cored wheel, is provided with internal gearing to and with a subordinate fast wheel, or pinion, upon a common shaft, which said gearing operates within interior chambers in said wheel, containing oil, or other suitable uid, to circulate the said iuid, without resistance, when said chambers are thrown open-one to the other-but which is at once resisted by the said fluid--a'nd to a degree to completely lock said hollow Wheel to the said fast pinion, and thereby effect the driving action desired whenever the said'uid vchambers are closed. Furthermore, by my said mechanism, the pace,or speed of the driven part may be brought to and retained at any rate desired between the extremes of motion for which a given mechanical aggregation is capable, and may also be varied as frequently and as gradually, or abruptly, as the conditions, at the moment, require; and the object and end to be attained by my in- .vention may be said to be to provide a uid clutch, or clutch operating within-and in connection with, oil or other appropriate fluid,

whereby the resistance of said fluid, when under a full, or partialconlinement, is utilized to effect a corresponding degree of resistance between the rotating shaft and the otherwise free driving wheel. I accomplish my said objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinl Figure 1 is a vertical section of the entire machine; Fig.- 2 is a view of the same complete and as if rotated upon its shaft upwardly ninety degrees from the position it is represented as occupying in Fig. l; Fig. 3 is an end view, and Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the device, shown. in Fig. l, through the line ct, b, therein.

Throughout the said views similar letters and figures are employed to designate similar parts respectively.

In the several drawings S indicates the main shaft upon which is mounted a pinion P, se-

curely keyed against rotary motion thereabout, by the feather, or key, E, but is permitted, if preferred, a short sliding range, longitudinally, in its keyway upon the shaft.

Uponeither side of the pinion P, is a side,

especially prolonged, or extended into a sleeve-as compared with its companion hub L2.

Between the side plates X and Y, and securely held in its position by the bolts, as indicated by B. B. (Fig. 4), is a band or ring of metal, or other suitable material, N, slightly exceeding in width; and concentrically surrounding the pinion P, and thereby completing, about the same, a circular inclosed case which is itself free to revolve around the shaft S independently of any immediate connection with the said pinion. f

Journaled in the side-plates X andY, upon the shafts A and A2, are two gears G and G2, which are. of the same width as, and mesh into the pinion P, upon opposite sides thereof, and'which have diameters of a proper proportion to bring their peripheral surfaces-When said gears are in position for action-into as close proximity to the band N as is consistent with adue revolution upon Y the said axles. It will be found that a more efficient operation of my said clutch will be secured, if the band-or ring N-is somewhat cut away across the same, (as shown at 5 and 6 in Fig. 4) in order to thereby obtain .adj ustment hereinbefore recommended of the IOO gears G and G2, in their relations with the band N--to slightly cut away the said partitions at the points O and O2 (Fig. 4) where they so approach the said pinion in order t0 secure a partial sheathing for the same V and V2 are valves communicating, respectively, between the interior chambers of the said inclosed case marked l and 2, and 3 and 4, in Fig. 4. In said Fig. 4 said valves are represented as located between the partitions J', J2 and the band N. Nor is it an essential requirement that the said partitions, or the several trains of gears with the said central pinion P, should be so constructed as to, in every instance, divide the said circular .inclosed case into a number of equal 4and exfitting the hub, or sleeve, loosely and adapted to slide on the fast feather K, in the same, but, to be thereby compelled to rotate upon and with the said hub or sleeve. L. Fitting loosely in the score of the ring R2 is another ring R', having lugs T and T2, which engage with any convenient system of throw levers, or other appliance, to effect a lateral motion of the ring R-and its seat R2, along the sleeve L. Upon opposite sides of the ring R2, and in a plane coincident with Ithe axis of the shaft S, and with the valves V 'and V2 (see Fig. 2), are two projections F and F2 containing radial grooves of sufficient dimensions to receive the guide pins I and I2, and permit the same to travel forward and back therein according as the levers M and M2 are moved. The said guide pins pass through the inner extremities of the said levers M and M2 at right angles to the same. The said levers M and M2 are carried upon the studs W and W2, and have their outer extremities fitted with segments of a beveled gear meshing into the beveled gears 'U' and v2. The beveled gears 'v' and c2 are fast to the projecting stems of the valves V and V2 of which one is indicated by the dotted lines at Q in Fig. 2.

C is a collar upon the sleeve, or hub, L', to limit the outward throw of the clutch ring R2. The throw-levers-or other actuating apparatus of the clutch-ring R2, it has not seemed necessary to represent in the several drawings. Any of the well known systems capable of moving the said clutch ring in the desired manner will answer the purpose.

D is the gear, or other wheel7 keyed to the hub L2 of the cheek plate Y, to be driven by the said circular case of which the cheek plate Y is a side.

In order to operate the device which I have hereinbefore described-and have illustrated in the drawings, as a practical embodiment of my said invention-it is to be first understood, of course, that the shaft S, upon which the device is mounted, as aforesaid, is adapted to be driven by apppropriatemechanical connections with the power source, and is in active rotation about its axis, 'in the direction indicated by the arrow on the pinion P, in Fig. 4. Itis obvious that said pinion, being fast, as already stated, to the shaft S must rotate in the same direction and with a corresponding pace. It is further obvious that, when the valves V and V2 are open (as represented in Fig. 2), the said pinion, coacting, as it does, with the gears Gr and G2, will necessarily cause the latter to rotate at the same time upon their axles in the directions indicated by the arrows thereon. Under the conditions thus assumed, and appearing, it is evident that-by reason of their pe- Y culiar construction, and relative adjustment to each other and the several parts ofthe device-the double train of gearing,in its movement, as aforesaid, performs the functions of a rotary circulating pump to the oil, or other fluid body, with which the chambers of the said case are filled. As the teeth of the gear G enter and pass by the partial sheathing at 6, their interdental spaces will, in succession, perform the office of buckets to carry the oil, Within the chamber 3, over and into the adjacent chamber 2. Such inllux of oil to the latter chamber is simultaneously counterbalanced and neutralized by thc exactly similar operation of the gear G2 in withdrawing, (at 5) in its inter-dental spaces, an equivalent volume of oil from the chamber l, and depositing the same within the chamber 4. lVhile, thus, the action of the two gears described, is to occasion a circulating current of the fluid contents of the clutch, a corresponding and subordinate current will be induced, by the rotating inter-dental spaces of the pinion P., from the chamber 3 to the chamber 4, on its one side, and, from the chamber l to the chamber 2 on its other. It is to be observed, however, that no oil, or practically none, will be carried from chamber to chamber through the points where the pinion and gears mesh--for the reason that the inter-dental spaces which are the efficient agents for the purpose at the other points, are here, of course, occupied by the meshing teeth. It is thus apparent that, while the valves V and V2 are open, a free and unimpeded revolution of the shaft S, and its pinion P, through the said inclosed case must occur, and that the latter will remain loose and idle in its place upon said revolving shaft and Without, of course, during said conditions, imparting any power, or driving force, to the gear D. If now it is desired to clutch the said gear D to the revolving shaft, S, by my said mechanism, the ring R2-by means of its proper actuating device-is caused to slide laterally upon the sleeve L-as heretofore de- IOO IIO

scribed, toward the'said clutch-case. The levers M and M2, turning upon their guide pins in the slots F and F2, are thereby brought to a position nearer at right angles to the shaft S-and, during the movement, will have caused the valves V and V2 to rotate-(by the action of the segmental gearing upon the projecting valve stems) and become closed against the passage or circulation of the oil therethrough. Bythus closing the said valves, the further escape-or removal, of oil from the chambers 2 and 4, (to counterpoise, or cornpensate for, the oil pumped therein from the chambers 1 and 3,) is arrested, and, a-backpressure, at once, results to the iniiow of additional oil to said chambers 2 and 4, and, to a degree that, immediately, stays all independent revolutions of the gears G and Gz-upon their shafts A and A2-and compels them, instead, to circle about the pinion P, as a cen' ter, and, in this manner, to clutch, and carry around into the desired rotationy with the e shaft-the entire clutch case and its drive able character, I do not intend to limit my invention to such parts in respect to their precise form or number.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination, for the purpose specified, with a cogged wheel fast upon a shaft, of a hollow diskshaped wheel mounted loosely thereon concentrically about said cogged wheel, partitions in said disk-shaped Wheel radiating centrally from within a close operative proximity to the peripheral surface ot' the said cogged wheel; gear wheels upon opposite sides of said partitions, meshing with said cogged wheeland having their surfaces in close operative proximity with the interior surface of said hollow wheel oil, or other suitable duid in said hollow wheel betweensaid partitions, 'there being orices in said partitions, and means for'opening'and closing said orifices at will, substantially as shown `and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this th day of April, 1892.

Tiros. GRIswoLD, JR. 

